Electric ironer



Sept. 19, 1939. F. F. BRUECKNER ELECTHI C IRONER Filed Aug. 15, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 my ATTORNEYS.

Sept. 19, 1939. F. F. BRUECKNER ELECTRIC IRONER Filed Aug. 15, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR.

Y A TTORNEYS.

Sept. 19, 1939. F. F. BRUECKNER ELECTRIC IRONER Filed Aug. 15, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Freda/2' (K/752216619182.

fir/14. V A TTORNEYfi.

masses- 9.1 39

UNITED ST TES A ENT oer-ice ELE TRIC Frederick F, Brueckner, Detroit, Mich., assignor to William a. wa on Application August 1 5, 1935, Serial No. 36,335 '11 Claims. (CI. 38-60) The invention relates generally to ironing machines and it has particular relation to an electrically operated ironing machine.

, One object of the invention is to provide an 5 electrically operated ironing machine of durable and eflicient character which may be manufactured with a minimum amount of expense.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved ironing machine which may be operated and manipulated with a minimum amount of manual eflfort' so as to minimize fatigue on the part of the operator.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved ironing machine wherein the parts may be readily assembled so as to reduce the cost of manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved ironing machine which will at all times iron materials passed therethrough in a substantially uniform manner regardless of general or localized variations in thickness in the matethe line iC-C of Fig. 1; Figure 2 is a cross sectionalview on a. larger scale taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1; I

Figure 3 is an end view on a'larger scaleas seen substantiallyalong the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross sectionalview taken substantialiy along the line 4-4 ofFigure3;

Figure 5.is an end view of the ironing machine as seen from the right,end of Figurel with gen, tain parts broken away for the purpose of illustrating details more clearly;

Figure 6 is a front elevational view ,of an ironing machine constructed according to another form of the invention;

Figure 7 is an end elevational view as seen from the right end of Figure 6, with partsbroken away so as to illustratecertain details of the construction.- I

Referring to Figure 1, the main support ,for

Fig. 1C is a fragmehtary end view taken along 1 permit this movement of the drum. -It will be the ironer comprises a casting ll inthe form of a vertical standard which has foot rests ll adapted to engage the floor. At its inner side and at the lower end thereof, the casting has a hollow portion l2 for receiving a motor IS. The outer end of the motor shaft isconnected to a reduction gearing generally indicated at I4 and a short shaft projecting from the latter has a sprocket wheel ii for driving a'chain I 6, which in turn extends vertically within the casting to the upper end thereof and whereit is trained .10

about an upper sprocket wheel IS. The latter is mounted on the end .of a transversely disposed shaft l9 which projects through a tubular shell 20 secured in openings 2| in the casting such as by'welding and bearings 23 in the shell rotatably support'the shaft. It may be mentioned at this time that the tubular shell 29 provides a support for" an ironing roller generally indicated at 24- and that the shaft l9 serves to drive the roller.

Now referring to Figure 4, it will be noted that the shaft l9 projects slightly beyond the end of the shell 20 and that it' is secured to what may be called a driving member 26. This member at three circumferentially spaced points has inwardly projecting cylindrical lug members 21 25 and these are adapted to substantially fit within openings 29 in a disc member 29. The disc member at its outer edge has a flange 90 snugly fitting within a sheet metal drum 3| and which is rigidly secured to the such as by welding or the like, and the inner edge of the disc has a similar flange 32 rotatably mounted on the shell 20. Atits oppo ite end, the drum, as best shown by Figure 1, similarly has'a disc 29 for rotatably mounting this end of the drum on the shell. In 35 this figure also it may be noted thata collar 33 is adjustably fastened on the shell 20 and that a substantial space is provided between the collar and the disc 29 for permitting some inward movement of the drum. It should now be ap- 4 parent that when the shaft I9 is rotating, with the cylindrical lugs 2l'disposed within the openlugs 28 in the outer disc member 29- on the drum,

the drum will be driven also. If at any time it is desired to disconnect the'drum from the driv- 5 ing member 26, it is only necessary-to move the drum to the right until the lugs 21 are disengaged from the openings 29 and the space between the collar-33 and the right end disc 29 will Manifestly, however, the collar 99 may be shifted I to the left so as to positively prevent disengagement of the drum from the driving member 28. The drum, as best shown. by Figure 4, may be provided with pa'd'material 88 and this may be enclosed within a canvas cover 88. This arrangement, as will be readily understood, provides a canvas covered and relatively soft ironing surface.

It maybe said in general that the ironer also includes an electrically heated pad adapted to be moved vertically to and from theironing roller and the means for supporting this pad and mov ing it now will be described.

Referring to Figure l, a tubular, sheet metal member 48 is provided-and the right end of this member projects into openings 4| in the casting l8 and is rigidly secured therein by welding or the like. outwardly of the casting III, a tubular at its outer end a seat for a coiled spring 48 and an offset portion 48 adjacent to but at the opposite side of the casting withrespect to the arm 41, provides a seat for another of the springs 48. It may be mentioned in connection with the casting that a rib 54 is provided thereon, as shown by Figure l, which serves as an end closure and that the casting and tubular member 48 to the left of the arm, as seen in this figure, have opendescrlbed.

A shorter casting 58 is similarly clamped on the left end of the tubular member and this casting has an arm and an offset portion similar to the arm 41 and oflset portion 48'on the casting 42 for supporting another pair of similarly disposed springs. Accordingly, it should be understood'that the two castings provide a support for four springs located respectively at the corners of an elongated rectangle.

Now referring to Figures 2 and 5 together, a shoe casting 88 is provided having a heating element 8i therein, and this casting extends substantially the length of the rotary drum previously described, and is of arcuate shape so as to substantially correspond in contour to that of the drum. Downwardiy opening pockets 82 are provided at the corners of this casting for receiving theupper ends of the springs 48 and it follows that the shoe is supported at its four corners by the four springs 48 and that it is constantly urged upwardly into engagement with the drum by the springs. a

For moving the shoe downwardly against the action of the springs 48 so as to'separate itfrom the rotary drum, opposite ends of the shoe, as

best shown by Figures 1 and 2, are provided with apertured ears 84 that are pivotally connected to short links 88. These links, as shown by Fig. 1,

inturn are pivotally connected respectively to arms 84 and" which are secured to a shaft 88 passing through the tubular member 48. The arm 81 is connected to theleft end of, the shaft 88 beyond the end of the tubular member 48, while the arm 8 passes through the previously men-\ tioned slots ii in the casting 42 and tubular member 48. Bearings 68, at spaced points in the tubular member 48 and particularly at points adjacent tothe arms 88 and 81 and adjacent the right end of the shaft 88, are provided for supporting the .shaft within the'tubular member.

The right end of the shaft 68 projects beyond the right end of. the tubular member 40 and, as

best shown in Figure 5, is secured to a downwardly extending arm II. This arm, in turn, is pivotally connected at its lower end to a link I2 which, in turn, is pivotally connected to.- an arm I3 pivoted, asindicated at I4, to the casting Ill.

to be turned similarly. This movement of the arms 88 and 81 causes the' shoe to be pulled downwardly against the action of the springs 48 and thus causes the shoe to be separated from the drum.'

As shown-in Figure l,'the operating member 18 is pivotally connected at its lower end ,to an arm I1 which in turn is rigidly secured to'a shaft I8 rotatably' mounted in a tubular member I8 secured in o'peningsin the lower end of the casting I l, similarly to the mounting-of the tubu- Bearings, similar to lar members 28 and 48. those already described, are provided in the tubular member 18 for supporting the shaft. The outer end of thetubular member 18 is pro vided with a foot rest which may have anopening receiving the end of the member and 'a I set screw 8| is employed for holding it in place ings ii, the purposeof which presently will be are adjustably connected by means of a bolt 85.

By this arrangement the right end of the treadle is rotatably, but snugly, held on the tubular member I8. The left end of the treadle 82, as shown by Figure 1, has an apertured lug'88 which receives the end of the haft I8 beyond the end of the tubular member 18 and for, locking the lug 88 to the shaft, a pin 81 projects through the' shaft and through the lug.

Now it-should be understood that foot pressure on the treadle 82 sufficient to turn it will cause the shaft I8 to turn likewise and hence cause the arm 11 to turn. Since the arm I1 is 4 connected to the operating member I5, the latter will be pulled downwardly and the tog le arrangement previously describedwill function to pull the shoe away from the rotary drum. Reverse movement of the shoe, treadle and interconnected parts, will occur on account of the action of the springs. tending to move theishoe upwardly. I

When the treadle is completely depressed so as to.straighten the toggle, the-straightened condition of the latter will hold the shoe in its lower position as it then will be impossible for the springs to break the toggle. In this connection,

attention may be directed to the fact that the. treadle has a poi-tion at the left side of the shaft I8, as shown by Figure 5,]and in order to break the toggle when the treadle is in its depressed position, it is onlynecessary to push .downwardly on the left side of the treadle. Thus, by foot pressure on the treadle, the shoe may be moved downwardly to a, locked position and then released for upward movement by the coiled springs.

As shown by Figure 5, particularly, a switch anasse atively connected by means of a chain or other flexible member 92 to the operating member Ii. This switch is normally closed but when the treadle is fully depressed so as to move the shoe ill away from the rotary drum, the switch is operated to break the circuit to the motor and thereby interrupt its operation and rotation 01 the drum.

Referring again to Fig. 5, a support for the material to be ironed is provided as indicated at 95 and this support is bolted to a bracket member 96 which in turn projects under the arms 41 on the castings i2 and 53 and is bolted thereto. ,A closure member 91 is also secured to the brackets 96 as indicated at GI and this closure member cooperates with the end closure rib- I and extends under the tubular member 4| and terminates as indicated at 9! adjacent the other side of the shoe at the opposite side of the drum. It may be mentioned alsothat the outer side of the casting III is provided with a cover plate I" as shown best by Fig. 1 for concealing the working parts within the castings.

In the form of the invention shown by Figs. 6 and .7, the same general arrangement and principle of operation are employed but in this case' a second casting H0 is employed at the left end of the machine in addition to the casting at the right end of the machine. The rotary drum andthemounting thereof on the right end casting is substantially the same as previously described, but the motor for driving the drum is smaller and is located at a lower point. It was found that a small motor might be employed while obtaining sumcient power and this enables using a smaller casting and locating the motor and parts related thereto, in a smaller and more compact space. In this construction inasmuch as a left side support is also provided, the provision of a strong tubular supporting member such as the member 40 in Fig. 1 is not necessary for supporting the shoe and in place of this tubular member, angle members Ill and H2 extend between the two vertical supports and are secured at their ends thereto and these angle members provide supports for the coiled springs previously mentioned. Movement of the shoe vertically againstthe action of the-springs i8 is accomplished by the same method but in this case the operating shaft indicated at H3 and which corresponds to the shaft 68 shown in Fig, 1, is journalled in ears Ill and H5 on the castings respectively. An intermediate bracket support lli may be secured to the angle member III for additionally supporting the shaft. Also it may be mentioned that the support 95 for the material in this instance is secured to angle members i2! welded or otherwise secured to-the angle member 2.

The upright supports or castings additionally are connected intermediate their upper and lower ends by means of small tubular members I and I22 that serve to tie the two castings together rigidly.

The treadle construction is the same as previously described excepting that the element I} secured on the left end of the tubular member 19 instead of being supported on the floor is supported by an extended portion I21 on the lower end of the casting III. In this case the foot rest II will be provided under the lower end of the casting. If desired also the left end of the shaft Il may extend into the casting H0 and into a bearing therein although this is not necessary as the support provided is substantially'the same as-that shown by Fig. 1 and this is satisfactory. 5 In general, it may be added that the ironer may be constructed largely from sheet metal and in this connection, the castings and particularly, the upright supporting castingamight instead be stamped and formed from sheet metal.

10 The invention according to either of its forms is characterized by a simplicity and eflieiency in arrangement and the number of the parts employed. An ironing machine constructed according to the invention may be manufactured in a relatively inexpensive manner which permits its sale to a large group which otherwise would not be able to use electrical ironing machines because of the expense. Moreover the ironing machine is highly eillcient in its use. A practically uniform ironing pressure is applied to the material passing through the machine regardless of the thickness oi the material or any local variations that may occur in'the thickness of the material such as when it becomes wrinkled or foldedupon itself. Operation 01 the machine is simple .and'requires only a manipulation of the foot .pedal which is not diflicult and not fatiguing because of the relation of the parts in the treadle operating mechanism. The rotary drum may be easily disengaged from the driving shaft merely by moving it lengthwise and this' enables the operator to apply a direct ironing pressure to any material between the heating padand the drum without at the same time causing rotation of the drum. An ironing machine constructed according to this invention also has a pleasing appearance as it is not bulky or cumbersome and aminimum space is required for accommodating it and moreover practically all operating parts are concealed and this naturally enhances the appearance of the machine. Aside from the above, the ironing machine has a rigidity of construction which insures satisfactory operation, as well as durability. v

Although more than one form of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An ironing machine comprising a standard, a rotary member projecting from the standard, means for driving the member, a" drum rotatably receiving the member, means for releasably and drivingly connecting the drum and member and enabling engagement or disengagement thereof by moving the drum axially of the member, and means retaining the drum against removal from the member while still permitting such engagement and disengagement. I

' 2. An ironing machine comprising a standard, a tubular and non-rotatable supporting member projecting from the standard, a driven shaft pro-, jectingthrough the member, a drum rotatably mounted on the member, means on the outer end of the shaft and drum Ior releasably and 'drivingly connecting the drum to the shaft, said means being of such character that disengagement and engagement of the drum and shaft 70 is effected by axial movement of the drum on the membe and means on the member at the inner end of the drum tor permitting limited but suillcient movement of the latter. towards the. standard allow such disengagement.

. a tubular member secured to the standard and mounted on the tubular member. and having portions providing seats for resilient members,

projecting therefrom, a movable ironing ber, means supported in said tubular member'- for moving said ironing member, arms mounted on the tubular member, and resilient means between the arms and ironing member.

4. An ironing machine comprising a standard, a tubular member secured to the standard and projecting therefrom, a movable ironing member extending along the tubular member, a shaft rotatable in the tubular member, means connectlng the shaft and ironing member for effecting movement'of the latter upon turning the shaft, and resilient means'between the tubulatter in onedirection of movement.

lar member and ironing member for ur in the 5. An ironingmachine comprising a standard, a tubular member secured to the standard andprojecting therefrom, a movable ironing member extending along the tubular memberpa shaft rotatable in the tubular member, -,a sleeve resilient members engaging said seats and the ironing member, and means connecting the shaft and ironing member for eifecting movement of the latter upon turning the shaft.

6. An ironing'machine, comprising a standard, a movable ironing member carried by the standard, a tubular member projecting from the standard and securedtheretma shaft rotatably mounted in the tubular member, a treadle rotatable on the tubular member, means connecting the treadle to the shaft, and means interconnecting the shaft and ironing member for moving the latter upon moving the'treadle.

'7. An ironing machine comprising a standard, a movable ironing member carried by the standard, a rock shaft carried by the standard, a treadle connected to the shaft and having portions projecting beyond opposite sides of the shaft, means including a toggle interconnecting the shaft and ironing member for moving the latter, the projecting portions of the treadle serving to enable pressure on ,one portion to straighten the toggle to lock the ironing member in one position and pressure on the other portion to break the toggle, and resilient means tending to move the ironing member in the toggle breaking direction.- 1

8. An ironing machine comprising a frame structure, a pair of elongated ironing members one of which may be bodily reciprocated to and from the other, spring means for urging said one member towards the other and for applying the ironing pressure, an arm pivoted inthe frame structure in such position that the free end of the arm substa'ntiallyis located midway between the sides of the movable ironing member and is movable generally parallel to the movement of the latter, a link pivotally connected to the free end of the arm and'also pivotally connected to the movable ironing member sub- 'stantially midway between the sides of the latter,

. 2,178,889 3. An ironing machinecomprising a standard,

and means for moving the arm about its pivot.

9. An ironing machine comprising a frame structure, a-pair of elongated ironing members one of which may be bodily reciprocated to and from the other, spring means for urging said one member towards the other and for applying the ironing'pressure, an arm pivoted in the frame structure in such position that the free .end of the arm substantially is located midway between the sides of the movable ironing member and is movable generally parallel to the movement of the latter, a ,link pivotally connected to the free end of the arm and also pivotally connected to the movable ironing member structure, a toggle connected at one end to the "frame and at its other end to the pivoted end ofthe arm, and. means connecting the center of .the toggle to the treadle.

10. An ironing machine comprising a frame structure, a pair of elongated ironing members one of which is bodily reciprocatory relativeto the other, spring mean'svat the four comers of the movable ironing member for urging it toward the other ironing member, a pair of 'short links each of which is pivotally connected to the movable zironing member'adjacent one end thereof and substantially'midway between its sides, a turnable shaft mounted in the frame structure and extending along one side of the movable ironing member, arms fixed respectively to,opposite ends of theshaft and having'their free ends pivotally connected to the free ends of the adjacent link respectively, the arrangement being such that the pull on the movable ironing member is substantially parallel to its movement one of which is bodily reciprocatory relativelto the other, spring means at the four corners of the movable ironing member for urging it toward the other ironing member, a pair of short links each of which is pivotally connected to the movable ironing member adjacent one end thereof and substantially midway between its sides, a turnable shaft mounted in the frame structure and extending along one side of the movable ironing member, arms fixed respectively to opposite ends of the shaft and having their free ends pivotally connected to the free ends of the adjacent link respectively, the arrangement being such that the pull on the movable ironing 'member is substantially parallel to its movement when the arms are moved to separate the members, and means for turning the shaft to eflect movement of the same, and including a toggle for locking the shaft in position with the ironing members separated;

FREDERICK F. BRUECKNER. 

